Apocalyptic Lullaby
by Kalimando
Summary: Bella has been haunted by nightmares since she was a toddler. What happens when she finds she can't escape her dreams? AU/Canon couples.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Stephenie Meyers owns all recognizable characters. I am not making a profit off of this story nor do I have any intentions of doing so in the future. Please see the slightly longer A/N at the end of this chapter. The title of this story is taken from a song, with the same name, by the Wailin' Jennys. **

**Apocalyptic Lullaby**

Renee could pinpoint the exact day that Bella's nightmares began. While the nightmares were not the result of a traumatic experience in her childhood, in fact Bella had lived a relatively normal childhood, Renee could not help but harbor a feeling of guilt the first night they began. It was the only time she had second guessed her decision to leave the town of Forks, and subsequently her husband, behind. 2 year old Bella had not been aware that she was leaving anything behind. Clutching her favorite faded blanket, she had cheerfully hugged and kissed Charlie before being buckled in her car seat.

Renee had discussed her plans with Charlie in heated whispers long after Bella had been put down for the night. The two were careful to be nothing but cordial to one another, recognizing that yelling in front of their daughter would only cause her sadness. It took the better part of 3 months for Renee to wear down Charlie and to make him see that her decision was for the best. Did he really want his daughter to grow up in a town of no possibilities? Arizona was a much healthier choice. Bella would be able to play in the sun with children her own age, the schools would provide a better education, and Bella would have more opportunities.

Charlie countered her arguments with his own ones. There were kids on the Rez close to Bella's age, the local elementary and high school offered no worse an education than anywhere else, and it was healthier for a child to grow up with two parents versus one. That's when Renee pulled the divorce card. She informed Charlie that no judge would award custody to a full time sheriff who spent his time off drinking beer and fishing. Renee had every intention of divorcing Charlie but she wanted it to be an amicable split. In the end, Charlie agreed to let Renee and Bella go but not before making Renee promise to allow Bella to visit him. Renee agreed to summer visits and frequent phone calls.

As Renee loaded the last bag into the trunk of the faded Toyota Corolla, Charlie leaned into the car and smiled sadly at his daughter. "You be a good girl for mommy, Bells."

Bella grinned a toothy smile and patted Charlie's mustache before Renee cleared her throat behind him. Charlie turned around slowly, leveling his gaze straight into Renee's eyes. "You'd better take care of her, Renee." His soon to be ex-wife sighed, "You know I will."

Their embrace was quick and held no love. Renee was anxious to start on her new life. Charlie just wanted yesterday back. He watched as Renee drove away and then slowly climbed the stairs to Bella's room. As Renee passed the Welcome to Forks sign, Charlie sat in the rocking chair, his head in his hands.

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Renee drove as far as Salem, Oregon before finally pulling into the parking lot of a Best Western that had seen better days. Renee could care less what state of disrepair the hotel was in so long as it had a bathtub and a bed. Bella was an easy baby but after 7 hours in the car, 2 of which were stuck in traffic, she was a sticky, cranky baby. During the drive, Renee had passed apple juice and animal crackers back to Bella to placate her. Bella had amused herself by giving the animal crackers an apple juice bath. To Renee's dismay, Bella had also inadvertently bathed herself, the car seat, and the window in juice.

Renee only felt a slight pang of guilt as she used Charlie's credit card to pay for the room. Technically they were still married and shared a checking and savings account. Besides, Charlie would want Bella to have a warm bed to sleep in. She promised herself to cut up the card once she had a few steady paychecks deposited the account she planned to set up in Phoenix.

Renee carted Bella under one arm and a suitcase in the other to their hotel room. She quickly deposited the suitcase on the queen sized bed bearing a paisley pattern before setting Bella down in the bathroom. To Renee's surprise, the hotel room was fairly clean. Small bars of wrapped generic soap were placed on the bathroom counter along with several small bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Renee made a mental note to request more shampoo and soap, which she'd take with her to Phoenix. That would save a trip to the grocery store and a few bucks.

After checking the temperature in the bath, Renee rounded up Bella who, had already stripped out of her sticky clothes on her own, and plopped her in the tub. Bella, accustomed to baths with copious amounts of bubbles, frowned at her mother.

"Bubbles," she demanded, slapping the water and consequently soaking the front of Renee's shirt.

"Not tonight," Renee replied in a firm voice while at the same time praying a tantrum would not ensue. Bella rarely threw a fit but when she did, they were epic.

Luck was not on her side. Already exhausted from the long car ride, Bella's mood was steadily declining. She began kicking and slapping the water punctuating her actions with a shriek worthy of shattering glass. Within mere seconds, Bella had drenched her mother in bath water.

"Isabella Marie Swan!" Renee's voice rose above her daughter's. Bella immediately stopped her movements, looked her mother straight in the eye and growled, "Mean!"

Renee didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The day had been taxing and while she was firm in her resolve to relocate to Phoenix, sans Charlie, Renee missed the familiarity of home and routine. Ignoring Bella's glare, Renee unceremoniously bathed her daughter. By the time Renee had dressed Bella in her footed pajamas, Bella's glare had vanished, only to be replaced by one of hurt feelings. No one could pout like Bella.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Neither Renee nor Bella seemed particularly interested in eating. Renee watched silently as her daughter padded around the hotel room, dragging her blanket behind her. Bella inspected the closet, the chairs and the nightstand. Bella discovered The Holy Bible in one drawer and the Yellow Pages in another. She looked up hopefully at her mother.

"Story?"

Renee nodded and helped her daughter up onto the bed. As Renee was not a particularly religious person, she opted for the Yellow Pages over The Holy Bible. She also figured that Bella would enjoy looking at the different advertisements. Three ads in, Bella was fast asleep. Carefully, without jostling her sleeping daughter, Renee moved off of the bed and headed toward the bathroom with every intention of taking a relaxing bath. The tub had just finished filling when Renee heard something no mother ever wants to hear. Bella's screams drained the blood from Renee's face and set her heart racing. Grabbing the toilet plunger, Renee raced out of the bathroom to beat the shit out of whomever or whatever was hurting her baby. The plunger slipped out of her hands when she saw Bella writhing on the bed, still screaming trapped in what appeared to be a nightmare. Renee scooped up her daughter and gently patted her back all the while making 'shushing' noises. Bella's screams died out and turned to hiccupping sobs.

Bella's cry of "Daaaady," broke Renee's heart. Renee had no response, no comforting words for her daughter other than her whispers of, "It's okay, baby. It was just a bad dream." Bella's sobs eventually quieted as she fell back asleep. Renee kissed her forehead before tucking her in under the covers.

The bath was forgotten as Renee sat in a chair and watched her baby sleep. Bella never experienced a nightmare before and why should she? The first two years of her life were filled with nothing but happiness and Sesame Street. Renee chalked the nightmare up to the stress of the day and the unfamiliar setting.

With just a twinge of guilt remaining for taking her daughter away from the only life she'd known, Renee dressed for bed. Reassuring herself that leaving was the best for both of them, she drifted off to sleep.

**A/N #2: Please consider leaving a review. While I'm not new to fanfiction, this is my first Twilight fic and my writing needs dusting off. If you have criticisms of this story, by all means share them so long as it is constructive criticism. Additionally, I am looking for a qualified beta for this story. If you're interested, please let me know.**

**Bella will not remain a toddler in this story. Following the next chapter there will be a time jump.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Stephenie Meyers owns all recognizable characters. I am not making a profit off of this story nor do I have any intentions of doing so in the future. Once again, the title is taken from a song by the Wailin Jennys. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review last chapter! I greatly appreciate it. **

**Apocalyptic Lullaby Chp. 2**

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The following morning, Renee worked quickly and efficiently while Bella slept. She took full advantage of cleaning lady's cart, which was conveniently situated just outside of the hotel room. She assumed it was a buffet of sorts as the cleaning lady was nowhere in sight. And really, who was Renee to question seemingly free samples?

As Renee packed their belongings, including the newly acquired soaps, shampoo, and towels from the cart, into a duffle bag she looked up to find Bella watching her with wide eyes.

"Hey, Baby," Renee crooned. She was completely oblivious to the drastic change in Bella's usual morning behavior. Whereas she normally woke up smiling and babbling away, Bella sat quietly, her blanket clutched tightly in her tiny fists. When Renee complained about the dreary weather, which had been frequently, Charlie simply pointed at his daughter and remarked, "We've got our own sunshine right here."

Renee was all business as she changed Bella into a pink sundress and a white sweater embroidered with colorful flowers. Bella sat patiently while her hair was fashioned into two piggy tails. Scanning the room for anything she might have forgotten to pack, Renee scooped up Bella, the suitcase, and the two pillows off of the bed. If anyone questioned the pillows, Renee would simply explain they were for Bella, and that they could simply charge the replacements to the credit card she used for the room.

No one stopped Renee and she was able to load the car without interruption. When Bella began to squirm in her arms, Renee set her down wisely thinking that it would be best for Bella to run around now before they began another leg of their journey. Renee was in a hurry to distance herself from the Pacific Northwest. She craved sunshine and a new life and the freedom that Forks could no longer provide.

Grasping Bella's hand, Renee led the way back into the hotel. They'd advertised a free Continental Breakfast and Renee had every intention of taking full advantage of the breakfast fare.

"Are you hungry?" she asked Bella.

Bella shook her head in response, but Renee was too busy making a mental note of the items that would withstand an extended amount of time in the car. The individual boxes of cereal, particularly the Cheerios, were perfect for Bella. Renee fixed Bella a plate and seated her at a table before leaving her going back to grab her own breakfast.

Bella was too engrossed in pushing her scrambled eggs back and forth with her spoon to notice the man at the table next to her. There was nothing extraordinary about him; he was dressed in faded jeans and a nondescript t-shirt, his eyes hidden by sunglasses, his long blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail. He cleared his throat and when Bella glanced over he smiled widely. His teeth were an almost blinding white and although she was only two, Bella could feel the malice behind it. At that moment, Renee looked over her shoulder just in time to see her daughter frozen under the stare of the blonde haired man.

Renee's maternal instincts flared. She lost no time in moving back to the table and picking up Bella in her arms. Bella immediately buried her head under Renee's chin.

"James," the man introduced himself. "You have a beautiful little girl," he smiled pleasantly at Renee.

Renee found herself relaxing and smiled back. "I'm Renee and this is Isabella." Renee sat down and attempted to place Bella back in her chair but she had wrapped her arms around Renee's neck and refused to budge.

Renee felt the need to explain Bella's odd behavior. "She's just tired. We had a long day yesterday."

James waved his hand dismissively. "I understand. Are you traveling far?" he inquired casually.

Bella's hold around her mother's neck tightened. "We're moving to Phoenix, Arizona. I need a change of scenery. What about you?"

James nodded in understanding. "There's quite a bit of sun in Arizona. Won't you miss the rain and the greenery?"

Renee scoffed, "No. If it never rains again I won't complain. And I can always plant flowers," she added.

"Well I won't keep you any longer. I wish you all the best on your journey," James stood and lightly patted Bella's head. She stiffened under his touch. "Drive safely," he cautioned Renee.

"You too," Renee called after his departing figure. She never picked up on the fact that James had effectively avoided her question while gathering information about where they were headed.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, James was forgotten and Renee and Bella were back in the car and on the road. Renee had been unsuccessful in persuading Bella to eat anything more than a few bites of scrambled egg some orange juice. Bagels, numerous individual boxes of Cheerios, and several small packets of grape jelly were available and currently stowed in Renee's purse, should Bella's appetite improve. Renee wanted to drive as far as possible without having to make lengthy stops.

Bella sat quietly in her car seat and watched the trees fly by in a blur of various shades of green. She had no recollection of the previous night's dream, just a lingering sense of discomfort. As Renee sang loudly, and off key, to the songs on the radio Bella thought about the man at breakfast. She didn't like him. Bella was not accustomed to people staring at her like that man did. His smile had frightened her and she couldn't see his eyes behind the sunglasses. Regardless of how badly he had scared her, Bella had found that she hadn't been able to look away. She was happy when she finally loosened her hold around her Mommy's neck, and found that he had gone. Bella never wanted to see him again.

As the rain began to fall, Bella thought about her Daddy. She loved him as much as she loved her blanket. She loved him even more than her blanket, which never left her side. Because Charlie often spent weekends fishing, Bella did not question his absence. But she missed him.

"Daddy?"

Had Bella been much older, she would've noticed the uncomfortable silence that fell in the car. Renee cleared her throat but did not respond. The truth of the matter was that she had yet to figure out a way to explain to her two year old daughter that Daddy wasn't going to be joining them. Part of her hoped that Bella would just accept Charlie's absence without question.

Renee glanced in the rearview mirror. "We'll call Daddy, okay Baby Girl?"

* * *

Four hours later, in Medford, Oregon, Renee pulled into a gas station. Bella had continuously asked for _Daddy_ and Renee could no longer avoid the inevitable. While the car was being filled with gas, Renee walked Bella over to the pay phone. She dialed collect and tensed, waiting for Charlie to accept the charges.

"Renee? Is she okay? Let me talk to her."

Renee rolled her eyes. "I promised I'd take care of her. She's fine. I'm fine too, thanks for asking," she huffed. Did he honestly believe that she'd allow anything to happen to their daughter? Renee held the phone up to Bella's ear. "Say hi to Daddy," she prompted.

Bella squealed happily. Back in Forks, Charlie's heart clenched. He wanted to reach through the phone and hold his little girl. "Hi Bells. Daddy loves you. Don't ever forget that, okay?"

Bella just smiled in response at the sound of her Daddy's voice. It annoyed Renee that Bella's expression was the happiest it'd been since their departure yesterday.

"Say goodbye to Daddy, Bella," Renee prompted.

"Bye, Daddy!" Bella shouted into the mouthpiece just before Renee pulled the phone away.

"I'll call again tomorrow, Charlie," she informed him.

"Please don't do this. Just bring her back," Charlie pleaded even though he knew it was a lost cause. The house was quiet, too quiet and yet the reminders of his daughter's absence was deafening.

"You know I can't do that. We discussed this. It's what's best for her. Look, I'll call you tomorrow. Don't make this any more difficult than what it already is." Renee argued back.

"I miss her, Renee. I miss you."

"Goodbye, Charlie," Renee hung up the phone. She was so sick and tired of arguing with him. Couldn't he just let them go?

Bella fell asleep shortly after leaving they had driven away from the gas station. She dreamt of her Daddy and the way he would smile she pulled his mustache. And then abruptly her dream shifted and she was no longer looking up into warm, brown eyes.

Renee nearly ran the car off the road when her daughter began screaming.

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Stephenie Meyers owns all recognizable characters. I am not making a profit off of this story nor do I have any intentions of doing so in the future. Once again, the title is taken from a song by the Wailin Jennys. I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks to Zors, who writes Portrait of a Girl. She's my new beta and simply amazing. Go read her story! Any errors that remain are mine.**

**Apocalyptic Lullaby Chp. 3**

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The remainder of the trip to Phoenix, Arizona was much the same. Renée drove for as long as possible, only stopping to allow Bella ten minutes of freedom from the car seat, usually while the Corolla was being filled with gas. Bella toddled around quietly during these stops, never straying far from her mother. She had become increasingly subdued, even abandoning her games with the animal crackers. Renée noticed the changes but was not worried. She figured that once they were settled in their new home, Bella would be back to her bouncy, happy self.

Renée preferred the Best Westerns along their travel route for there was a never ending supply of toiletries and linens. Bella had grown accustomed to the layout of the rooms, for they never varied regardless of the city they were located in. The Yellow Pages and the Holy Bible were always located in separate drawers; the closets always had empty hangers and were hanger-less by the time she checked out in the mornings. By the third night, Renée never wanted to see another Holy Bible or the Yellow Pages again. Bella was insistent on her story-time before bed and as her little collection of books was to be shipped to Arizona from Forks, Renée was left with the only two books that the Best Western provided.

"I swear to God, if I have to read another ad…" Renee muttered to herself as she waited for Charlie to accept the collect call. Bella sat innocently on the bed waiting patiently for her story to begin.

"Renée? What's wro-"

"Nothing," she interrupted before Charlie could finish his query. She felt a pang of guilt as her tone was rather sharp. Bella's frequent nightmares over the last few days were beginning to wear on her and the interrupted sleep was not helping her mood.

"Have you packed all of Bella's books yet? She's waiting for her bedtime story and I cannot read another advertisement from the Yellow Pages or I'm going to go insane," Renée explained dramatically.

Back in Forks, Charlie rolled his eyes. He was used to Renee's overreaction and secretly found it endearing. All of Bella's books had been packed with the exception of **A**_Ferdinand the Bull_, her favorite. Charlie wanted to hang onto that one. He would send a brand new copy to Bella, but the original, _their _original, was staying in Forks where it belonged.

"They're in the box but I haven't taped it up yet. Let me talk to Bella."

Renee gladly passed the phone to her daughter and once again watched as Bella's face lit up upon hearing Charlie's voice.

Had Bella been back in Forks, she would've been sitting in the rocking chair with Charlie, her favorite blanket tucked under her chin. Forks was a relatively quiet town and barring any animal attacks or traffic accidents, Charlie always made sure he was home in time to read to Bella. _Ferdinand the Bull_ was a favorite of theirs, though Renée would often complain that the page where Ferdinand sat upon the bee wound Bella up. Bella would scream with laughter whenever they reached that page. But by the time Ferdinand was sitting happily under his cork tree, smelling the flowers, Bella was usually drifting off to sleep.

Bella situated herself in Renee's lap and waited for Charlie to begin. Her little fingers played absently with her mother's hair as Charlie read to her.

"_Once upon a time in Spain there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand," _Charlie read in his soft voice, reserved only for his little girl.

Bella's eyes slipped closed long before Charlie reached the bumblebee page. Renée gently untangled Bella's hand from her hair and carefully transferred the phone to her own ear.

"Thank you, Charlie. She's asleep now." Renée's voice was grateful and unusually soft, something Charlie suddenly realized he hadn't heard from her in months.

Charlie cleared his throat, opting not to resort to begging Renée to come back home. He knew it would only result in an argument and Charlie wanted to continue talking to her.

"So how's the drive going?"

"It's alright. Long. But Bella's being a good girl and not complaining," she answered casually, deliberately leaving out the fact that their daughter had been having nightmares ever since leaving Forks.

Charlie sensed that his wife, soon to be ex-wife, was leaving something out, but he didn't pressure her into revealing it. "So when do you think you'll reach Phoenix?" Charlie already knew about the tiny house that Renée would be renting. Had she not found a permanent place, he would have not permitted Bella to leave with Renee. Staying in a motel during the course of their drive was fine, but no daughter of his would live in a motel permanently.

"We should get there sometime tomorrow night. I'll call you when we arrive. Thanks again for reading to Bella, Charlie. I'd better go and get her into bed."

"Give her a kiss and a hug from me. Call me as soon as you get to the house, alright?"

"I already said I would," Renée snapped, her exhaustion seeping through. "Goodnight, Charlie." She hung up the phone and very carefully maneuvered Bella under the sheets. As she watched her daughter sleeping, Renée sent up a silent prayer to any deity that might be listening.

"Please, please, please let her sleep through the night."

* * *

Back in Forks Charlie still sat in the rocking chair, staring at the cover of _Ferdinand the Bull_. He gently ran his thumb over the cover, mixing his fingerprints with those of his daughters. They weren't visible but Charlie knew they were there. With a heavy sigh, Charlie stood and gently placed the book on the seat of the rocking chair. He walked out of the room deliberately looking forward so as not to allow his gaze to linger on Bella's crib. Had Renée stayed, they probably would've begun shopping for a new bed for Bella. Charlie knew that the crib would eventually have to be put away but he didn't want to remove any traces of his daughter just yet.

Charlie spent the remainder of the night sitting in front of the television, a can of Vitamin R in one hand, staring blankly at the screen. He would spend tomorrow fishing with Billy, which would hopefully take his mind off the fact that his heart had left without the rest of him three days ago.

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Renée and Bella reached their destination at 6:58 pm the next day. Whether she was in good spirits because Bella slept through the night without a single nightmare or because the sun was still shining brightly, Renée didn't know and, truth be told, she didn't care.

"We're here, Baby Girl!" Renee exclaimed as she pulled in front of the humble little house that would be their new home. She lost no time in unbuckling Bella, leaving the suitcases for the time being, and pointing to various plants in the front yard.

"That's called a cactus and it's sharp, so don't touch it, okay?"

Bella nodded in understanding. The yard was full of cacti and rocks and it was void of lush green and everything that was Forks. Renée couldn't be happier but Bella was confused. Renée walked Bella all around the front yard pointing out a great number of things that Bella really had no interest in. It was too hot and too sunny and too… brown. Bella impatiently pulled her mother up to the front door. Renée mistook Bella's impatience for excitement about their new home.

"Okay, okay! "Renée laughed, opening the front door. Bella pulled her hand away from her mother's and rushed inside.

"Daddy?" she called out. The front room- the living room- was sparsely furnished with a television, a green sofa that had seen better days, and a hooked rug. Bella frowned and padded into the kitchen.

"Daddy?" she called again. The kitchen was empty, save the standard electrical appliances and a small table that seated two. Renée walked in behind Bella, her enthusiasm fading slightly.

"Bella…" she began as her daughter rushed past.

"Daddy?" came the cry from one of the bedrooms.

"Bella, Daddy's not here," she attempted to explain as Bella ran out of the empty bedroom and into another one across the hall.

"Daddy?" Bella's cry was becoming increasingly frantic. She didn't like this game of Hide and Seek her Daddy was playing. He would usually laugh or make some movement that gave away his position but there was nothing except silence.

Renée found her daughter sitting on the bathroom floor crying silently. She mentally cursed herself for not explaining the situation to Bella before leaving Forks, but how do you tell a two year old that Daddy isn't coming with them? In all honesty, she had hoped that Bella would be so taken with the new environment that she wouldn't question Charlie's absence.

Renée walked over to Bella and picked her up with every intention of comforting her daughter. "Daddy's not here, Baby. He's not coming," she told her daughter calmly.

Like a switch being flicked, Bella's silent cries became full-fledged screams. Over and over she screamed for Daddy, while at the same time kicking and struggling wildly in her mother's grasp. Several of her blows landed on Renee's stomach and she narrowly missed having Bella's head slam into her chin. Of all the tantrums Bella had thrown before, which weren't many, this one took the top prize. Bella was utterly inconsolable and no amount of the use of Bella's full name had any impact.

After Bella's shoe clad foot repeatedly struck the same spot on her hip, Renée put her daughter down on the ground and gave her one good swat on the butt. It was the first and only time she would spank her daughter. What Bella did next shocked both of them. Bella turned her red, tearstained face toward Renée, her little two year old body shuddering with sobs, and bit her mother on the leg hard enough to draw blood.

Renée shrieked in pain and disbelief. She stared in horror as a trickle of blood ran down her leg. Bella stared at the same trickle of blood for all of three seconds before promptly throwing up. Renee tore her gaze away from the perfect, little half circle on her leg, all pain forgotten as she watched, in slow motion, she would later swear, as Bella's face turned ashen and her eyes rolled up to the back of her head. The crack of Bella's head hitting the tile of bathroom floor launched Renée into action.

The neighbor's next door would never forget how they were introduced to Renee and Isabella. The Battles were already well aware of the commotion coming from their new neighbors and were in the process of walking over to kindly ask the tenants to keep it down. They opened the door to find Renée clutching her listless daughter.

"Please call for an ambulance," Renée pleaded.

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Bella and her mother did not stay at the new house their first night in Phoenix, Arizona. Instead, they were guests at the Phoenix Children's Hospital. Renée received a tetanus shot and a visit from a lady who worked for Social Services. Bella was admitted with a concussion. Her attending physician wanted Bella kept overnight for observation. Renée spent the entire night smoothing her daughter's hair and whispering over and over how sorry she was. Bella's night was entirely free of dreams.

Charlie never did receive the phone call that Renée had promised him. To be fair, Renee had completely forgotten and was entirely too wrapped up in recovering from the shock of being questioned by Social Services, and having her daughter in the hospital.

Charlie did receive, however, several bills about a month later. One was a credit card statement, which included the stays at Best Western. While the motel had allowed Renée to leave with three sets of bed sheets, pillows, and towels, they charged the credit card accordingly. The other bill was from Phoenix Children's Hospital and listed the charges for a CT scan, a tetanus shot, and an overnight hospitalization- all of which Renée had neglected to inform Charlie about. He stormed over to the phone adjacent to the refrigerator and punched in the numbers to the house in Phoenix. The call went straight to the answering machine.

"Renée? What in the Hell is going on over there? Why was Bella in the hospital? I want to talk to my daughter!" he shouted into the mouthpiece before slamming down the phone in frustration. He was going to give Renée exactly forty-five minutes to call back before he bought himself a plane ticket to Arizona.

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Stephenie Meyers owns all recognizable characters. I am not making a profit off of this story nor do I have any intentions of doing so in the future. Once again, the title is taken from a song by the Wailin Jennys. Massive thanks to Zors and Erotillectual, my betas. Go read their work, links on my profile, as they are amazing authors.**

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**Apocalyptic Lullaby Chapter 4**

Charlie paced the length of the living room like a caged animal. He had attempted to keep busy; to keep his mind off of the clock, off of the fact that he wanted to kill his ex-wife. Just as the vein in his head began to throb, the telephone in the kitchen rang. Charlie, vaulting over the sofa, managed to answer it before the first ring had silenced.

"Renée?" Charlie demanded, no longer caring that his temper had gotten the best of him.

"I can explain. Just calm down," the serene voice replied from the other end.

"Start explaining. I want to know why I'm just now hearing about Bella's head injury. Is she all right? I swear to God, Renée…"

"Bella's fine," Renée cut in, thinking it was best to calm Charlie's fears before he decided on doing anything rash. "She was having a tantrum over something silly [and] fell and hit her head. It was a slight concussion and she's just fine," reiterated Renée. It wasn't quite the truth, she knew, but it was close enough. Bella had been throwing a fit, and in Renée's mind, it was over something silly.

"Why was she throwing a tantrum? That's not like Bella." Charlie frowned. His baby girl was nothing but smiles and giggles, even when she was exhausted.

"I suppose the terrible twos came a bit late," Renée replied casually. "Anyhow, like I said, she's fine. She doesn't even remember it. I didn't want to call you and worry you."

Charlie shook his head in disbelief. "You didn't think that my receiving a bill from the hospital wouldn't worry me? Renée, if my daughter ends up in the emergency room, I want to know about it, and not a month after the fact!" Charlie's voice steadily rose until he was shouting into the mouth piece. Back in Phoenix, Renée was holding the phone away from her own ear.

"Okay. I promise to tell you if Bella ends up in the emergency room," Renée assured him. She had no intention of mentioning the nightmares that plagued their daughter on a near nightly basis. Renée was hopeful that it was just a phase Bella was going through. She couldn't wait until Bella slept through the night again, as her own sleep was suffering.

"I want to talk to her," demanded Charlie. While he believed that Bella was "just fine," Charlie needed actual proof. It had been awhile since he'd been able to speak to his baby girl, as his hours at the station increased to fill the empty void he felt at home.

"She's napping." Renée glanced down at her sleeping daughter on the tattered green sofa and smiled softly. Bella's brow was furrowed, her eyes scrunched, and her tiny hands tightly fisted.

"Can you put the phone next to her, then? I want to talk to her," repeated Charlie.

Renée acquiesced. "Okay, just please don't wake her up," she all but begged, and carefully put the phone next to her sleeping daughter's ear.

Renée bit back a smile when she heard the slightly off [pitch] tune coming through the phone. Charlie wasn't much of a singer, and if it ever got out at the station that he sang lullabies to his daughter, he'd be teased unmercifully.

"_Lavender blue, dilly dilly,__  
__Lavender green__  
__When I am King, dilly dilly,__  
__I'll need a Queen."_

Charlie sang the Burl Ives version, completely unaware that Bella's posture had completely relaxed, her little fists uncurling and her lips curled up into the grin solely reserved for her daddy. Renée waited until Charlie finished the last verse before bringing the phone back up to her own ear.

"Don't keep me in the dark, Renée. I agreed to this because it's what's best for Bella, but I don't want her to forget me. I want to talk to her at least weekly, no excuses this time." Charlie was in full police chief mode and Renée knew it.

"Then I need you to call here. I can't afford the long distance. Speaking of…" Renée hinted.

"All right, all right. I'll call back in a few days around this time. I… Bye, Renée." Charlie very nearly slipped, almost declaring his love for his ex-wife, but caught himself in time.

He hung up the phone and walked dejectedly back into the living room. On the coffee table was a box that he'd been putting together for Bella. Inside was a brand new copy of _Ferdinand the Bull_, a floppy eared brown and white stuffed dog, and a photograph taken several months prior. Renée had snapped it unbeknownst to her husband and Bella. He was putting a new fishing pole together with Bella on his lap and both of them were fully engrossed in the task. It was a rare sunny day, the light streaming through the window, causing both father and daughter to be cast in a near other-worldly glow. Charlie had shopped for the perfect frame for the photo for days before finally deciding on a simple, "Daddy and Me" frame. What he told Renée was the truth. Charlie was terrified that the distance between Forks and Phoenix would be enough to make Bella forget him. He wasn't about to let that happen.

The following day Charlie mailed the box, shipping it overnight with delivery confirmation. While he still held feelings for Renée, Charlie knew her well enough to know that she couldn't be counted on to let him know the box had arrived.

* * *

Charlie's lullaby had carried Bella into peaceful dreams that night, but like all the other nights since she and Renée had left Forks, the peace did not last. Bella found herself in an unfamiliar place. Gone were the loving arms that kept her safe. She was sitting on something hard, and to the front and back of her were the same hard, uncomfortable seats. She crawled down the length of the seat and pulled herself up. The wall closest to her was full of painted windows. Her eyes scanned the windows looking for a familiar face in the pictures, but she didn't recognize anyone. Without warning, Bella felt a swift, passing breeze behind her, as though someone had rushed past her. She didn't know why, but it frightened her. And then a mocking voice hissed in her ear, low and drawn out.

"Issssabellaaaaa."

Bella's screams finally subsided after several minutes of Renée rocking her. "Shhhhh, you're fine. You're fine." Against her better judgment, Renée brought Bella into her own room. Allowing Bella to sleep in her bed wasn't something that Renée wanted to encourage, but she was exhausted.

Renée fell asleep almost immediately, Bella tucked in safely next to her. Unlike her mother, Bella did not find sleep so easily. She spent the remainder of the night watching the shadows on the wall.

* * *

One pale, cool hand grabbed his arm. In hushed whispers they argued. Keeping their voices down was pointless, as the entire house was privy to their conversation regardless of how quietly they were speaking.

"You have to do this!"

He shook her hand off easily. "I don't have to do anything! We don't interfere, you know that!"

"She's important, I know it!"

"Then you take care of it," he snarled uncharacteristically.

"It has to be you. There's no other way," she argued, undeterred by her brother's attitude. She knew this was going to be difficult. But he had to _see_. She would make him see.

"Alice," he warned through clenched teeth as the images began to flood his mind.

Reluctantly, Alice stopped the assault. They didn't have much time before things ended badly. But it wasn't in Alice's nature to give up easily and she wasn't afraid of her older, and taller, brother. If she kept at him, maybe, just maybe, they'd be in time.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Stephenie Meyers owns all recognizable characters. I am not making a profit off of this story nor do I have any intentions of doing so in the future. The title of this story is taken from a song, with the same name, by the Wailin' Jennys. **

**Apocalyptic Lullaby**

The dream started out innocuously enough; a forest teeming with the sounds of light rain gently slapping the leaves. Bella cautiously made her way through the somewhat familiar terrain. She was headed somewhere; an unknown force propelling her forward. But then an odd fog crept through the massive tree trunks, enveloping the surrounding area, and in the time it took for Bella to blink, the dream changed suddenly. Her heart began thudding painfully in her chest as she took in her new surroundings. This part of the dream was all too familiar to her and no matter how many times Bella willed herself to wake up, her body refused to listen.

The church was always the same in her dreams; vaulted ceilings, intricate stained glass windows, and rows of uncomfortable pews. A large wooden cross hung behind the altar. Though simple in design, with nothing outwardly sinister in nature, the cross never failed to cause a chill of fear to shoot down Bella's spine. Yet it wasn't the cross that caused Bella's breathing to quicken or her pulse to race. At the back of the church, high above the back pews was the choir loft, mostly hidden in shadow. This was where the threat lay in wait. The stairs leading up to the loft were located behind two heavy wooden doors and nothing in the world would convince Bella to ascend them. Despite her intense terror of the loft, Bella could not tear her gaze from it. She knew the pattern of the events in her dreams. At any moment she would hear her name being whispered and then _he_ would step out of those shadows to grin at her.

"Isssssssssssssaaaaabellaaaa," came the whispered hiss, a snake's forked tongue caressing the shell of her ear, and then the calculated movement above.

The blinding white toothy grin held nothing but malice. The piercing red eyes slowly turned to black. As _he_ took one step forward, Bella took one step back. It wasn't until _he _launched himself from the loft with an inhumanly grace and speed that Bella turned and ran. She never made it more than a few steps before an iron strong hand clasped around her ankle and yanked her backwards. That was the precise moment that Bella found her lungs and let out an ear piercing scream, which was enough to rouse her from the nightmare.

Bella launched herself out of bed, breathing heavily. With any luck Renée, who had grown rather skilled at sleeping through her daughter's screams, would remain in her own room. Luck was not on Bella's side, however. She heard her mother's footsteps in the hall and opened the door before Renée had the chance to knock.

"Another nightmare?" Renée asked, even though she already knew the answer. Bella's nightmares had not diminished over the years. Her daughter had just become more adept at muffling her screams.

Bella gave her mother the standard response. "I'm fine. It was nothing." She silently begged her mother to let it go. Rehashing the dream aloud just made Bella feel sick to her stomach; it was bad enough that she had to relive the same nightmare over and over on a near nightly basis.

Renée gave her daughter a cursory look-over before nodding. "Okay, as long as you're sure. I was coming to wake you up anyhow. Phil's driving us to the airport in an hour. I'll make you some breakfast while you get ready."

Bella bit back a groan as she watched her mother retreat to the kitchen. Every summer Bella spent a few weeks with her father up in Forks, Washington. Bella hated it there. Her relationship with Charlie, her father, was strained at best. She barely knew him and the few weeks she spent each year in Forks were uncomfortable. Neither spoke much. Charlie's interests lay in fishing and watching sports while Bella preferred to immerse herself in reading the classics. Actual dialogue between father and daughter was rare and generally limited to the weather, which was nearly always rainy. Bella felt closer to Phil, her stepfather, than she did to her actual father. Sure, Charlie sent birthday cards and gifts on time each year without fail, and he occasionally called, but that was the extent of their communication, and truth be told, Bella preferred it that way.

* * *

Bella hugged and kissed her mother and stepfather goodbye at the airport. Phil always ensured that she arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Bella had an hour to waste before the plane would begin boarding, so she settled herself down in one of the many chairs in front of the terminal and pulled out a worn copy of Steinbeck's _Travels with Charley. _Time passed quickly and so engrossed was Bella in her book that she failed to notice the man staring steadily at the back of her head, sitting directly behind her. Nor did she notice when the same man boarded the plane just a few steps behind her.

As the plane soared high above the patchwork terrain, Bella's thoughts drifted back to a time when Phil had not been in their lives. Bella was familiar with the saying _opposites attract, _and as she thought of Renée and Phil, she couldn't agree with the saying more. Phil was grounded, Renée was flighty. Phil paid the bills in a timely manner, ensured that the grocery shopping was done, and when occasion called for it, assisted Bella with her math homework. Renée set many a kitchen fire, had a collection of overdue books sitting on her nightstand, and often forgot to put gas in the car.

Although Bella loved her mother, living with Renée required much patience and a well-developed sense of humor. Renée was constantly flitting from one hobby to the next. She dubbed them "Mother and Daughter Bonding Activities," and they'd included yoga, jewelry making, and cooking classes. Bella was able to look fondly, or at least laugh, about all of her mother's fads, except one.

Bella was five when Renée "found" religion. She was still not quite sure what prompted her mother to start attending church. Perhaps it was the well-meaning neighbors that caused Renée to seek out a higher power, but, after that first disastrous experience, Renée had never attempted to bring Bella to church again.

Renée was definitely a "judge a book by its cover" personality, and so she and Bella drove around until they spotted an attractive church. Renée could care less about the actual denomination. In her mind, it was all the same God. St. Thomas the Apostle, a Roman Catholic Church, proved to be the most beautiful, at least from the outside.

Renée had spent forty-five minutes getting Bella ready, much to Bella's irritation but her mother's pleasure. Bella looked like an angel in her dress and stockings as she grasped her mother's hand tightly while they walked up the steps and into the church. Renée chose to sit towards the back so as not to interrupt the service that had started without them. Several churchgoers turned around to stare as Renée situated herself and Bella. Bella gave them a shy smile before opening her missal to "read" along. The service progressed without interruption until it was time for the parishioners to give one another the sign of peace.

It wasn't until the young man who was sitting behind Renée and Bella—who couldn't have been older than his early thirties—pressed his icy cold palm into Bella's tiny one, that she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Shocked, Renée pulled Bella close to her, shielding Bella from the unknown threat. The entire congregation went silent as Bella's scream rang through the church. The young man pulled his hand back, a startled expression on his face.

Thoroughly shocked and embarrassed, Renée quickly gathered Bella and exited through the back. After several uncomfortable moments, the service continued. Unbeknownst to both the congregation and Renée, the young man slipped out the back a few minutes later, grinning. He was careful to avoid the sun, moving instead through the shadows cast by the church's large structure.

Renée attempted to coax Bella into explaining what had happened, but her daughter stubbornly remained silent about the entire incident. She made the mistake of attempting a different church the following Sunday, and after thirty minutes of attempting to pry Bella from the car, decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. She would just have to live with the fact that her daughter was a heathen.

* * *

Bella's flight continued without incident, the landing nearly flawless. She took her time making her way off of the airplane and to the arrival gate where she would meet her father, completely unaware that she was being followed by two strikingly beautiful strangers.

Bella's sole focus was attempting to muster up a half-hearted smile, something that might convey a hint of happiness, for her father. As much as she hated to spend any amount of time in Washington, Bella was not unkind and had no desire to hurt Charlie's feelings. Charlie Swan was not oblivious; he knew his daughter hated Forks. Yet his heart soared at seeing his daughter come into view even though the smile plastered on her face was overly forced. Charlie wondered where it had all gone wrong.

"Hey, kiddo. How was the flight?" he asked her, taking her bags and balancing them in one hand.

Bella shrugged. "It was alright. Same old, same old. Sort of like the weather," she sighed, noting the grey skies.

"So, I thought you might want to grab a bite to eat at the diner?" Charlie offered. "Unless you're tired and just want to go home?"

Bella smiled in spite of herself. Every year Charlie said the same thing. And though she hated the diner, she would indulge him in this one attempt to act as though their relationship was normal.

"The diner sounds fine, Dad."

Charlie cleared his throat before nodding. "So, how'd the school year go? Your mom says you made the Honor Roll again?"

"The school year was good, and yep, Honor Roll. I probably wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been for Phil helping me in math."

Charlie couldn't help the pang of jealousy he felt. It should have been _his_ job to help Bella with her homework, and yet he could barely keep a conversation going with his daughter before they both fell into silence. Charlie felt cheated, and though he was resentful of Bella's relationship with her stepfather, he couldn't also help but be appreciative that Phil was able to keep his daughter safe and relatively happy.

The ride to Forks passed much in the way as it had year after year. Bella read during the entire trip, occasionally stopping to answer a question or ask one in return. As they pulled into the diner, a familiar haunt for Charlie, Bella glanced up in time to see a yellow Porsche pass casually, if a Porsche could drive casually, down the street. The tinted windows did not permit Bella to get a good look at the driver.

Open mouthed, she turned to her father for an explanation. Porsches were certainly a rare site in dreary Forks. Sort of like an Eskimo in Florida.

"The Cullens," Charlie provided. "I think that was Alice." He held the door open for Bella before continuing on. "They moved here about six months ago. Nice family. Carlisle's a doctor at the hospital. He and his wife have five kids. All adopted."

Bella felt the stirrings of curiosity. She knew doctors made good money, but in Forks? Bella pushed the emotion aside and picked up her menu. She would only be here for a few weeks, most of which would probably be spent cooking for Charlie or holed up in her room with her beloved books. She had no interest in learning more about the wealthy doctor and his family.

* * *

Alice tapped her fingers lightly, impatiently against the steering wheel. Edward was avoiding her, fully aware of what his tiny sister had planned. She'd spent the last 14 years trying to convince him to intervene, yet Edward had steadfastly refused, reminding her that they did not involve themselves in the lives of others. Alice's whines, pleadings, and threats of violence fell on deaf ears. Edward simply ignored his sister, preferring to hunt when she became overly obnoxious, which was happening more and more frequently.

Alice's visions were becoming clearer and what she saw terrified her. In the beginning, when the family was living up in New York, Alice could only see that this girl would become important to her family, and Edward, in particular, was in grave danger. The visions were quick, violent, and filled with pain, yet always involved an older Isabella Swan. Fourteen years was nothing in her world; a blink of an eye, one heartbeat. Now that Isabella was older, Alice felt an increased sense of urgency. Time was almost up, which was why Alice made the decision to trail Bella to ensure her safety until a plan could be formulated.

Her mind worked quickly and effectively, assessing the success of each possible outcome within just a few seconds. Alice just wanted to show Edward… her head snapped up, eyes shining with fierce determination. That was it! She searched the immediate future, looking for the confirmation she needed. Alice would have to enlist the help of her husband, Jasper, but that wouldn't be a problem. Jasper could never deny her anything.

With renewed hope, Alice headed home. By tomorrow evening, at the latest, her plan would be set into motion.

* * *

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_A/N: Thanks once again to Zors and Erotillectual for making this story readable. I appreciate their honesty, time, and wisdom. I'd also like to thank radar1230 for being a dear, dear friend._


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